Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

study can be classified in a number of different

ways (e.g., by its purpose, research technique) and

that the dimensions loosely overlap with each

other (see Chart 1). The dimensions of research are

a “road map” through the terrain of social research.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR TYPES OF SOCIAL RESEARCH?

study, the research examined past events in one
country/culture. It is also possible to look across
multiple countries and time (see Example Box 13,
Historical-Comparative Research).

CONCLUSION

This chapter provided an overview of the dimen-
sions of social research. You saw that one research

KEY TERMS

action research
applied research
basic research
case-study research
cohort study
commissioned research
content analysis
cost-benefit analysis
cross-sectional research

descriptive research

evaluation research

existing statistics research

experimental research

explanatory research

exploratory research

field research

historical-comparative research

instrumental knowledge

longitudinal research

needs assessment

nonreactive research

panel study

participatory action research

reflexive knowledge

social impact assessment

survey research

time-series research

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1.When is exploratory research used, and what can it accomplish?

2.What types of results does a descriptive research study produce?

3.What is explanatory research? What is its primary purpose?

4.What are the major differences between basic and applied research?

5.Who is likely to conduct basic research, and where are results likely to appear?

6.Explain the differences among the three types of applied research.

7.How do time-series, panel, and cohort studies differ?

8.What are some potential problems with cost-benefit analysis?

9.What is a needs assessment? What complications can occur when conducting one?

10.Explain the differences between qualitative and quantitative research.

NOTES

1. Abbott (2004:40–79) offers a more comprehensive
   and complex organization of methods.


2. See Finsterbusch and Motz (1980), Freeman (1983),
   Lazarsfeld and Reitz (1975), Olsen and Micklin (1981),

and Rubin (1983) on applied research. Whyte (1986) cri-

tiques social research that is not applied. McGrath and

colleagues (1982) discuss judgment calls relevant in

applied research.